TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a game boards and game pieces of magnetic material and magnetically attractive material, and various methods for using the boards and pieces to play games.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is well known for games to employ magnetic elements. Examples of such games include magnetic chess, checkers and backgammon games that use magnetic playing pieces to hold the pieces stationary and to prevent loss while playing in a moving vehicle. Other examples include magnetic toss games that use either magnetic targets or projectile-type magnetic game pieces that stick to targets made of magnetically attractive substances.

Also known are magnetic tossing games that include targets affixed vertically to a wall so that magnetic projectile-type game pieces may be thrown at the vertical target in a manner similar to playing darts. The prior art also includes games that are similar to the well-known game hop-scotch in that magnetic projectile-type game pieces are thrown onto flat, horizontally-disposed floor targets .

Desirable additions to this art would include magnetic toss games with projectile-type game piece configurations that impart unique aerodynamic and magnetic-adhesive properties to the projectiles. Also desirable would be new game board or target configurations and methods and rules of play employing these new game piece and

game board configurations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A game piece device 22a-h comprising a base layer 24 of rubber multi-poled magnetic material, and an intermediate layer 26 bonded to an upper surface of the base layer 24. Characterizing the game piece device 22a-h is at least one aerodynamic appendage 58 that extends integrally outward from the intermediate layer 26 to alter the aerodynamic properties of the game piece device 22a-h.

Unlike prior art magnetic game pieces, a game piece constructed according to the present invention includes at least one aerodynamic appendage. The appendage changes the aerodynamic properties of the game piece to cause the game piece to fly farther or to otherwise modify the trajectory of the game piece.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To better understand and appreciate the invention, refer to the following detailed description in connection with the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a game board constructed according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the game board of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an exploded perspective view of a game piece constructed according to the invention;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional side view of the game piece of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a top view of two game pieces constructed according to the invention;

Figure 6 is a cross sectional side view of the game pieces of Figure ^" 5;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of a game piece constructed according to the invention;

Figure 8 is a perspective view of a game piece constructed according to the invention;

Figure 9 is a perspective view of a game piece constructed according to the invention;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of a game piece constructed according to the invention;

Figure 11 is a perspective view of a game piece constructed according to the invention;

Figure 12 is a perspective view of a game piece constructed according to the invention;

Figure 13 is a perspective view of a game piece constructed according to the invention;

Figure 14 is a perspective view of a game piece constructed according to the invention;

Figure 15 is a plan view of a game board constructed according to the invention;

Figure 16 is an exploded perspective view of a game piece constructed according to the invention;

Figure 17 is a perspective view of a game piece constructed according to the invention;

Figure 18 is a cross-sectional side view of the game piece of Figure 17;

Figure 19 is a plan view of a game board constructed according to the invention;

Figure 20 is a plan view of a game board constructed according to the invention;

Figure 21 is a plan view of a game board constructed according to the invention;

Figure 22 is a perspective view of a game board constructed according to the invention;

Figure 23 is a perspective view of a game kit case constructed according to the invention;

Figure 24 is a perspective view of a jig constructed according to the invention;

Figure 25 is a plan view of a bullseye constructed using the jig of Fi mre 24;

Figure 26 is a perspective view of a tray assembly constructed according to the invention;

Figure 27 is a perspective view of a game board constructed according to the invention;

Figure 28 includes six game piece designs;

Figure 29 includes six additional game piece designs;

Figure 30a is a perspective view of a game piece constructed according to the invention;

Figure 30b is a perspective view of a game piece constructed according to the invention;

Figure 30c is a perspective view of a game piece constructed according to the invention;

Figure 30c is a perspective view of a game piece constructed according to the invention;

Figure 31 is a plan view of a front side of a game board constructed according to the invention; and

Figure 32 is a plan view of a backside of the game board of Fig. 31.

MAGNETIC TOSS GAME METHOD AND APPARATUS

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention includes a plurality of game piece designs that are each intended for either projectile and non-projectile uses during play. Projectile-type game pieces are intended to be thrown toward a magnetically attractive playing surface. Non-projectile pieces are intended to serve some marking function such as to mark player advancement around a game board path.

A first projectile-type game piece is shown at 10 in Figs. 5 and 6. Second, third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh projectile-type game pieces are shown at 12, 14, 16, 18a-c, 20 and 22a- h, respectively, in Figs. 1-15, 23, and 30a-c.

As best shown in Figs . 3 and 4 , the game pieces 10-16, 18a-18c and 20 each include a base layer of rubber multi-poled magnetic material 24, an intermediate layer 26 of paper, cardboard or the like, and an upper layer 28 providing a clear

(transparent) polylaminate protective coating for the surface of the intermediate layer. The layers are held together in a well-known manner by any one of a number of suitable adhesives. The pieces may be constructed and used as described in United States patent application serial no. 08/389,288 filed February 16, 1995 and incorporated herein by reference .

As shown in Figs. 17 and 18, an alternative game piece construction includes a game piece comprising a flexible vinyl overlay 30 bonded to a flexible magnetic sheet 32. The vinyl overlay 30 and magnetic sheet 32 are die cut into predetermined shapes such as the shapes shown at 30 and 32 in Figs. 17 and 18. A label 34 having a smaller surface area than the die-cut vinyl- magnetic pieces 30, 32 is then mounted interiorly and centrally on an upper surface of the vinyl overlay 30. The label 34 may be made of paper- vinyl laminate or straight vinyl laminate. The label 34 is cut and sized in such a way as to add weight to the game piece while allowing maximum upward flex around the edges of the piece as is best shown in Fig. 18. In other words, smaller labels 34 allow the edges to flex more easily which

provides the pieces with improved target surface adhesion while overlaying three-dimensional target and/or other game pieces. Game pieces having this alternative construction may include a molded flexible plastic overlay or a silicon foam overlay instead of the label overlay described above.

Another alternative construction includes a pounded-out or pressed metal bottle cap, shown at 34 in Figs. 17 and 21, of the variety found on beer or soft drinks. The flattened bottle cap 34 would be attached to the flexible magnetic substrate 32 to form a magnetic beer cap game piece 175. The various shapes formed using this alternative process may have outside diameters ranging from 1/2 inch to 8 inches.

As is best shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the first projectile-type game piece 10, hereinafter referred to as a Splat ThWack!™ Blob 10, comprises a center portion 36 surrounded by and supporting a plurality of flat, outwardly-radiating lobes 38. The lobes 38 extend integrally outward from the center portion 36 and have a thickness approximately equal to that of the center portion 36. The lobes 38 are more flexible than the outer rim of a disk of like thickness and diameter would be. The additional flexibility allows a larger portion of the Splat

ThWack!™ Blob 10 to adhere more readily to a magnetically-attractive surface, even when the Blob

10 strikes the surface at an oblique angle. The flexible lobes 38 also allow the Blob 10 to adhere more readily when overlapping another projectile 12 that has previously been stuck on a game board. This is because the lobes 38 are able to flex independently and allow portions of the Blob 10 to

overlap while other portions lie flush with the game board surface-. However, the particular shape of the blob shown at 10 in Fig. 5 is ornamental.

As shown in Figs. 1-5, and 23 the second projectile-type game piece 12, hereinafter referred to as a Striker Piece 12 or a Striker ThWack!™ 12, comprises a simple flat disk having the same laminate construction as described above.

The third projectile-type game piece, hereinafter referred to as a Jack ThWack!™ 14, also comprises a simple flat disk with construction identical to but having a slightly smaller diameter than a Striker ThWack!™ 12. This allows Striker pieces 12 to cover the Jack ThWack!™ 14 more easily and more completely when thrown in accordance with a given set of game rules .

Designs for affixing to the upper surfaces of Jack and Striker ThWacks!™ are shown in Figs. 28 and 29. The designs of Fig. 28 may be assigned to one "team" while the designs of Fig. 29 may be assigned to another team.

As shown in Figure 15, the fourth projectile-type game piece 16, hereinafter referred to as a Dice ThWack!™ 16, comprises one or more through-holes 40 which act as indicators for tallying points, indicating movement of non- projectile pieces on a game board or to determine other such actions for a player to take during a game. These pieces 16 are used in conjunction with game boards 42 having designs with two or more colors or detail markings that become visible

through the Dice ThWack!™ 16 through-holes after the Dice ThWack!™ 16 pieces are thrown against and magnetically adhere to the game board. In Fig. 15 the detail markings comprise a regular pattern of black dots 44.

As shown in Figs. 30a-c, the fifth projectile-type game piece 18, hereinafter referred to as a Spinner ThWack!™ 18, has at least three different variants indicated at 18a, 18b and 18c in Figs. 30a, 30b and 30c, respectively. Variant 30a has an interior through-hole 46 with a triangular- shaped pointer 48 integrally extending into the through-hole 46 from a rim of the hole. Spinner ThWack!™ variant 30b includes an exterior pointer 50 as shown in Fig. 30b. Variant 30c has a "reverse pointer" 52 comprising a triangular cut in the perimeter of the piece 18c as shown in Fig. 30c. When tossed onto a pattern having two or more colors or detail markings, the pointer 48, 50, 52 of any of the three variants 30a, 30b, 30c would determine scoring or game actions according to what color or marking it points toward or is touching.

As shown at 20 in Figure 23, the sixth projectile-type game piece, hereinafter referred to as a Blob ThWack!™ or a Dart ThWack!™ 20, comprises a centrally located through-hole 54. When thrown at a target on a game board, the through hole 54 may be used as a scoring indicator with the scoring value determined by whatever game board marking shows through the hole 54. The through hole 54 may also include a triangular- shaped indicator-point integrally extending into the through-hole 54 from the rim of the hole 54.

The seventh projectile-type game piece, hereinafter referred to as a Magno Flyer™, has at least eight variants indicated at 22a-22h in Figs. 7-14, respectively. Each variant includes one of eight different aerodynamic structures attached via a thin adhesive layer to a flexible magnetic substrate 60. The substrate 60 is shown to be square in Figs. 7 and 8 but may also be circular, oval or any other suitable shape. Whirligig versions, one example of which is shown at 22b in Fig. 8, include an airfoil piece 56 with one or more rotor blades 58 that cause the piece 22b to spin - creating a rotary wing effect and imparting a gyroscopic stabilizing effect . An overlay piece 62 may be bonded to an upper wing surface.

Similarly, "Flying Pogs", shown at 22a in Fig. 7, include one or more wings 58 bonded to a magnetic substrate 60 with an overlay piece 62 bonded to an upper wing surface. The overlay pieces 56 are shown as being square in Figs. 7 and 8 but may, alternatively, be circular, oval or any other suitable shape . Assembly of these various pieces may be accomplished using jigs and pressure- sensitive adhesives. As with the other projectile- type game pieces, the Magno-Flyer™ pieces 22a-h are intended to be thrown against a magnetically- attractive surface such as a specially-designed game board or a refrigerator door. The rotors 58 may be folded upward, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, to keep them off the magnetically-receptive surface.

Another game piece variation, hereinafter referred to as a Negative ThWack!™, comprises a piece designed to overlay other pieces cut from the interior of the Negative ThWack!™

Shown at 64 in Figure 24, is a ThWackomatic

Jig™ for use in applying various sticker designs to game pieces. The Jig 64 includes a sheet of plastic or other suitable material with an irregularly-shaped outer periphery 66, a relatively large jig hole 68, and first 70, second 72 and third 74 guide holes. A purchaser may assemble or decorate his or her own game piece by first laying the Jig 64 on a smooth flat surface, placing a sticker sticky-side-up on the flat surface and inside the jig hole 68, then placing a pre-cut base layer of rubber multi-poled magnetic material on the sticky side of the sticker inside the jig hole 68. If the jig hole 68 has the same shape as the sticker, the pre-cut magnetic base layer and any other layers to be assembled into a game piece, then the jig hole 68 serves to align each layer into a uniform vertical stack. The Jig 64 has a thickness at least equal to the combined thicknesses of whatever number of layers are required or desired to assemble a given game piece.

The ThWackomatic Jig™ 64 additionally serves as a stencil that enables a player to draw the concentric circles of a bullseye or other game board markings on a magnetically attractive target surface. This particular feature becomes important where players find themselves in a situation where they wish to play a magnetic toss game, have game pieces in their possession, but no game board.

Players may use the Jig 64 to create a simple bullseye target or game board on any suitable magnetically-attractive surface using one of a number of commonly-available writing instruments. For example, a player may draw the bullseye shown in Fig. 25 by first placing the Jig 64 on a target

surface 78 then tracing around the circumference of the jig hole 68 to form the inner bullseye circle 76 on the target surface 78. The player may then draw the second ring 80 by placing a circular game piece in the inner bullseye circle 76, placing the Jig 64 over the game piece so that the game piece fits within the jig hole 68, holding the game piece stationary against the target surface 78 with one finger, then placing the point of a writing instrument into the second guide hole 72 and rotating the point of the writing instrument around the stationary game piece . The player may draw the third ring 82 by first anchoring the Jig 64 to the target surface 78 by inserting a pointed object through the first guide hole 70 and holding the point of the object against the target surface 78 at the center of the inner bullseye ring 76. The player would then insert the point of a suitable writing instrument into the second guide hole 72 and, using the Jig 64 as a compass, would rotate the point of the writing instrument around the first guide hole 70. The player could then draw a fourth ring 84 by following the same procedure as with the third ring 82, only inserting the point of the writing instrument into the third guide hole 74 rather than the second guide hole.

Figure 16 shows a non-projectile, magnetic game piece at 86 that is not intended to be thrown. As shown in Fig. 16 a non-projectile game piece constructed according to the invention may include a bottle cap 88, a post 90 comprising a short length of wooden dowel and a substrate 92 of flexible magnetic material. The magnetic substrate 92 has the same outside diameter as the post 90 and is bonded to the post 90 by any one of a number of well-known means to include gluing. The substrate

92 and post 90 outside diameters are slightly smaller than that of the bottle cap 88. The bottle cap 88 is bonded to the post 90 opposite the magnetic substrate 92 either by force fit or by any suitable bonding method such as gluing. The post 90 may be made of any one of a number of suitable substances rather than wood. The magnetic substrate 92 need not be flexible.

As shown in Fig. 23, the invention also includes a game kit case 94 for transporting game pieces such as the game pieces 12, 20 shown. The case 94 includes a canister portion 96 and a circular cap portion 98. The cap portion 98 has a downwardly-extending peripheral rim 100 that fits over an upwardly-extending peripheral rim 102 of the canister portion 96. Ring-shaped snap detents 104 integrally extend around the inner surface of the cap rim 100 and around the outer surface of the canister rim 102. The snap detents 104 provide for force-fit snapping engagement between the cap 98 and canister 96 portions when the cap 98 is forced down over the canister lip 102. The cap portion 98 is integrally attached to the canister 96 by a short, flexible retaining strap 106. The case 94 is sized to accommodate any number of variously- sized and shaped magnetic game pieces. A layer of magnetic material 107 may be bonded to one of the surfaces of the canister portion 96 or cap portion 98 so that the case 94 may be magnetically adhered to a magnetically-receptive surface to serve as a target or to hold a target in place. For example, a circular magnetic layer 107 may be bonded to the bottom surface of the base of the canister portion 96 as shown in Fig. 23.

Four game board designs are shown in Figs.

2, 19, 20 and 21, respectively. The game boards shown in Figs. 2 and 19-21 as well as the game pieces may be constructed according to the process disclosed in provisional patent application serial number 60/002,618, filed August 22, 1995 an incorporated herein by reference. Alternatively, the game boards may be made by bonding a sheet of magnetically-attractive material to or between one or more layers of another suitably stiff material such as wood, metal, cardboard or plastic. As another alternative, the game boards may instead be constructed by simply impressing a game board design impressed on a single sheet of magnetically attractive material. The game boards each have the same length and width so that they will fit an opening in the top of a game board-supporting tray assembly that is described in detail below.

A first game board is shown at 108 in Figs. 1 and 2. As is best shown in Fig. 2, the game board design includes a target circle 110 and a raceway defined by a horizontal line 112 separating two lanes. Seven equally-spaced parallel vertical lines 114 cross the horizontal line to delineate progressive positions along both lanes of the track.

A second game board is shown at 116 in Fig. 19. The second game board design follows an outer space or planetary-type theme. The design includes a target or "score" zone 118 with five planet score zones 120 surrounding a sixth center planet score zone 122, a black void score zone 124 and a yellow outer nebula score zone 126. The center planet 122 in the target zone 118 has a small irregular red shape representing a "center vent hole" 128 in the planet. Four home base circles 130 are located in

the corners of the board within irregular black blob shapes. A long section of yellow chase course 132 follows an winding path around the target zone 118 and inside the home base circles 130 forming an irregular chase course circuit 132. Short chase course sections 134 lead from each home base 130 to the main chase course circuit 132. A series of transverse black lines are spaced along each chase course section defining a ^" series of squares 136. Small arrows 138 are disposed in the four squares where each short chase course section 134 intersects with the main chase course circuit 132.

The arrows 138 indicate direction of travel for non-projectile magnetic game pieces. Red stop buttons 140 are disposed at spaced locations around the main chase course circuit 132 to indicate which chase course squares 136 are "stop squares" .

A third game board is shown at 142 in Fig. 20. The design of the third game board approximates the layout of a basketball court as viewed from above. The design includes a ThWackhead design 144 on the center of the board 142 and basket hoops or rims 146 and backboards 148 at each end of the board. Surrounding each rim 146 is a concentric circular line 150 for scoring fouls. Within each rim 146 is an image 152 of a

Dart ThWack!™. A row of circles 154 along one edge of the board with a blob-shape at each end of the row serve as placement markers for game pieces that are not in play. A number of score zones 156 are marked on the board by circles and triangle-shapes extending radially outward from a point adjacent each basket 146. Four black inbound lines 158 define the outer perimeter of the basketball court and a single transverse black half court line 160 delineates the center line between the two halves

of the court. Each half of the court includes a semi-circular three-point line 162 that separates two-point 164 and three-point 166 shot zones. Also adjacent each hoop 146 are three-second lanes 167 and free-throw lines 170 with a circle around each free throw line. At the top of each three-point line 162 is an uncontested "three" zone 168.

A fourth game board is shown at 170 in Fig. 21. The design of the fourth game board 170 includes two circular targets 172 for one of two players and two targets 174 for the other of two players. The center of the playing board includes the image of a beer bottle 176. The mouth 178 of the bottle 176 serves as a center-out target for both players. A pair of track lines 180, 182 extend from the mouth of the beer bottle 176. A series of blob shapes 184 are spaced along each track line 180, 182 indicating spaces along the track lines for progressive advancement of game pieces toward the mouth 178 of the bottle. Two diagonally-oriented rows 186, 188 of circular shapes provide spaces for game pieces to be stored when not in play.

A fifth game board is shown at 190 in Fig. 27. The fifth game board 190, for use in playing certain variations of the game Thwarbles™, has the shape of an inverted circular pie pan 190. The pan 190 has a circular top panel 192 that is either made of a magnetically-attractive material or includes a layer of magnetically-attractive material. A circumferential side wall 194 extends around and is integrally connected to the top panel 192 around the perimeter of the top panel 192. The side wall 194 is angled outwardly from the circular top panel 192 forming a capped frusto-conical

shape. The side wall 194 is either made of a magnetically-attractive material or includes a layer of magnetically-attractive material. The fourth game board 190 may have a shape other than circular.

Fig. 22 shows a game board design for use in playing a game called Ice Breaker™. The Ice

Breaker™ board 196 is circular and includes an outer band of hollow, upwardly-projecting irregular mountain shapes 198. A central flat, smooth circular area 200 is encircled by and is integrally formed with the mountain shapes. The circular area 200 is slightly recessed, defining a short perimeter wall 202 around the circumference of the circular area 200. A circular transparent Plexiglas cover 204 may be fit into the recessed circular area 200 of the game board 196.

The game pieces 10-16, 18a-c, and 20 may alternatively be constructed by applying a color graphics top laminate to a 35mm-thick rubber sheet magnet, then stamping the individual game pieces from the sheet. The construction and use of the game pieces 10-16, 18a-c, and 20 is disclosed in greater detail in United States provisional patent application ser. no. 60/012,048, filed February 22, 1996 and incorporated herein by reference.

Game pieces with color graphic top laminates that include the image of a soccer player preparing to kick a soccer ball are known as ball Thwacks!™.

This image ties-in ball ThWacks!™ with their function under the rules for a game called ThWACK SHOT!™ Soccer. Figs. 31 and 32 show opposite sides 214, 216 of a single game board 218 designed

according to the invention. The game board 218 shown in these figures includes a wafer-thin sheet of steel sandwiched between two cardboard or card stock layers. The outer surfaces of the card stock layers are laminated with any one of a number of color graphics materials as is well known in the art. The game board 218 may be constructed according to processes disclosed in United States patent application Ser. No. 60/389,288. The game board 218 may also be constructed as disclosed in United States provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/012,048. The game board may also be constructed by impressing color images directly on a steel sheet.

As shown in Fig. 31, the first side 214 of the game board 218 includes a design that follows a soccer theme and is designed for use in playing the game ThWACK SHOT!™ Soccer, described below. The design includes a soccer field outline 220 with soccer field markings included within the outline 220. The design may be impressed on the game board 218 by any one of a number of suitable means known in the art to include adhesive-backed overlays, silk-screening, or various color-graphics laminations .

The soccer field markings also include a centeriine 222, a center circle 224 and rectangular goalie boxes 226. The centeriine 222 separates the defensive zones 228, 230 of each of two opposing players or teams. At each of the two opposite ends of the soccer field the design includes a rectangular goal area marked with the letters "GOAL" 232. The goal areas 232 each have a pair of forward corners 234 where the goal areas join the soccer field. The forward corners 234 of the goal

areas 232 also mark the simulated position of the "goal posts". The line between the "goal posts" is the goal line 236. The image of a soccer ball (the "center ball" 238) is disposed at the center of the soccer field design. Four additional soccer ball images 240 are disposed at equidistant, spaced locations around the center ball 238. Advertising logos 242 are incorporated into the design at each of the four corners of the first side 214 of the board 218.

As shown in Fig. 32, the second side 216 of the game board 218 includes a design that also follows a soccer theme and is designed for use in playing the game ThWACK ™ Shot!, described below. The design includes a decorative background 244, text blocks 246, 248, and a logo box 250. The decorative background 244 includes images of soccer players, a soccer ball and a product-endorsement- related image. The text blocks 246, 248 include game rules. The logo box 250 is disposed centrally on the game board second side 216 and may also include a product-endorsement-related image.

In practice, the game pieces and the two sides of the game board 218 may be used in playing any one of a number of games. For example, in playing the game called ThWACK™ Shot ! , players use at least two ball Thwacks!™ and the magnetically- attractive second side 216 of the board 218.

ThWACK™ Sho ! is played according to the rules set forth on side two 216 of the board 218 in the text block 246 having the heading "ThWACK™ Shot!"

In playing the game ThWACK SHOT!™ Soccer,

players use at least one ball ThWack!™ and the magnetically-attractive first side 214 of the board 218. ThWACK SHOT!™ Soccer is played according to the rules set forth on side two 216 of the board 218 in the text block 248 having the heading

"ThWACK SHOT!™ Soccer. "

In addition, a wide variety of other games may be played using the game pieces and the game board 218 described above. According to the invention, players are encouraged to develop new games using entirely new rules or new rules in combination with one or both of the sets of rules set forth above.

In practice, the game pieces and game boards may be used in playing any one of a number of games . Examples of games that may be played with various combinations of the game pieces and game boards described above are set forth below:

"Auto Racing" is a game that uses the game board 108 depicted in Figs. 1 and 2, two projectile-type magnetic game pieces 12, and two non-projectile magnetic game pieces 232. The non- projectile pieces may be car-shaped as shown at 232 in Fig. 2. The players begin by placing their respective "car" pieces 232 behind the starting line 234, as shown. The players then take turns throwing their projectile-type game pieces 12 at the target 110. The player whose game piece 12 comes closest to the target 110 advances his or her car piece 232 to the next space along the race course. The player whose car piece 232 crosses the finish line 236 first, wins.

"Beer Cap ThWack!™" is a game played on the game board shown at 170 in Fig. 21 and using the game pieces shown at 175 and 87 in Figs. 16 and 17, respectively. Each of two players uses three of the projectile-type magnetic beer cap game pieces shown at 175 in Figs. 17 and 21 and described above. Each player also uses one bottle-capped non-projectile game piece shown at 86 in Fig. 16 as a "racer" piece. Each player begins by placing his or her racer piece 86 on one of the blob images 184 at an outer end of each track line 180, 182. To determine which player will begin first, each player then tosses one projectile piece 175 at the center-out target 178 at the mouth of the bottle image 176. Each player then takes turns attempting to cover both of his or her respective two circular targets 172, 174 and the center-out target 178 with his or her three projectile pieces 175. Whenever a player manages to cover both of his or her own circular targets 172, 174 and the center-out target 178, that player advances his or her racer piece 86 to the next blob image 184 along that player's track line 180, 182. The player whose racer piece 86 reaches the mouth 178 of the bottle image 176 first, wins the game.

"Tourni Thwarbles™" is a game played using a bag of circular magnetic game pieces called Thwarbles™ at least one ThWack!™ and is played on a ThWack! ThWARBLE™ board 190 or any magnetically receptive surface 192. The surface 192 may be disposed either vertically, angled or horizontally.

The object of the game is to collect the most

Thwarbles™ by touching or landing on previously tossed pieces. To set up, the board 190 is placed on the ground with the raised playing surface 192

of the board facing up as shown in Fig. 27.

To begin, players place an equal number of their Thwarbles into a stack. This stack becomes the bank. Players then agree to a distance they must be from the board 190 to toss, one step back, two steps back, etc. One ThWarble from the bank is then placed onto the center of the board 190. To start the game, on the command ThWack!™ all players toss an extra Thwarble attempting to land it on top of the piece in the center of the board 190. The player doing so, picks up the piece and gets to toss again at the Th arbles remaining on the board

190 picking up all pieces they hit. A player's turn continues until that player misses. It is then the next closest player's turn and so on. If a player misses the board when tossing, that player's ThWarble is added to the bank. Play continues until only one player has pieces left to toss, or the bank is empty. The player with the most Thwarbles wins.

Another game that can be played using the same pieces is "Pick off ThWack!™." This game requires a magnetically receptive playing surface such as the ThWack! ThWarble board 190, at least one ThWack!™, and nine Thwarbles. Players place nine Thwarbles onto the board 190 with one in the center and eight along the edges on small ThWack!™ dots. The Th acks!™ on the edge can be placed in a position where they extend partially over the edge to increase difficulty. Players then flip a Thwarble to see who will go first.

Play begins when a first player tosses out a

ThWack!™ attempting to land the ThWack!™ on a

Thwarble. If successful, the player removes both the ThWack!™ and the Thwarble that the ThWack!™ hit from the board 190. Play continues until all pieces have been removed. The player with the most Thwarbles at the end wins .

"ThWack! ThWarbles™" is a category of games that use Blob ThWacks!™- 20, ThWarbles™, and a

ThWarble™ board 190. The games in this category combine elements of penny pitching, marbles and darts. The ThWarbles board 190 is placed flat on the floor or is placed at an angle against a book or a wall . The players pitch and stick their ThWarbles to the board 190 attempting to hit target areas .

"RatFink™" Fly Swat is a ThWack! ThWarbles™ game that uses ThWarbles to tag ten fly images on the board 190. Whichever player manages to cover the most flies with his or her ThWarble wins. Ties are settled by tagging an image of RatFink' s™ nose on the ThWarble board 190.

"Rotation" is a ThWack! ThWarbles™ game in which each player lays out four to six ThWarbles in a clock-like pattern or "rack" around the edges of the board 190. Players then call which ThWarble they will hit. If they miss, it's the other player's turn. If they hit, they call another ThWarble, continuing until they miss or all their pieces are covered. Scoring can be tabulated on a per-rack basis or may be cumulative.

The ThWack! ThWarbles™ category of games also includes "bank" games in which players each

contribute a certain number of Thwarble game pieces to a bank, load a predetermined number of the "banked" pieces onto a game board 190 during each of several rounds or "resets", and then attempt to win as many of the banked game pieces as possible by throwing and striking, i.e., "tagging", the banked pieces with a projectile game piece. In one such bank game called "Four n ¹ Out", each player begins by contributing a ^" predetermined number of game pieces to the bank. These banked game pieces are then loaded, five at a time, onto a game board 190 in a pattern called a "rack." Four of the game pieces, preferably ThWarbles, are placed around the edges of the board 190 at the twelve, three, six and nine o'clock positions. A fifth game piece is placed in the center of the board 190, completing the rack. The object of the game is to tag all the edge pieces first and then to finish the rack off by tagging the game piece in the center. If a player throws and misses, i.e., fails to tag any of the pieces in the rack, the other player begins throwing until he or she either misses or "cleans- up" by tagging and taking the rest of the game pieces in the rack. The player who finishes the rack gets the first shot at the reset. Play is completed when there are no game pieces left in the bank. The player with the most ThWarbles wins.

Chip Shot is a ThWack! ThWarbles™ game in which one player begins by tossing a "hole"- ThWarble onto a magnetically-attractive game board surface 190. For purposes of this game, the "hole" -ThWarble represents a golf hole. The players attempt to tag that piece in the fewest number of shots. Score is kept in the same manner as golf, e.g., the player who takes the fewest number of throws or "strokes" to hit either 9 or 18

" holes " , wins .

According to another "ThWack! ThWarbles™ game, players first determine how many rounds they will play, how many ThWarbles each player will toss out to start each round, and the distance that each player must toss from. Next, the players determine which player will be the first player to toss his or her ThWack!™ 20. The players do this by each tossing a ThWarble at a target surface 192 in an attempt to land the ThWarble as close to an edge of the surface 192 as possible without having the ThWarble subsequently fall off the surface 192.

After determining which player will go first, each player then tosses a predetermined number of ThWarbles onto the target surface 192. If a player's ThWarble does not stick, that player tosses again. The player who has won the first turn then attempts to land his or her ThWack!™ 20 on top of the ThWarbles™. Each player then takes a turn at tossing until that player misses. When a player misses he or she must toss one ThWarble back onto the board 190. A round of this game ends when all ThWarbles have been removed from the target surface 192. The player possessing the most ThWarbles at the end of the game wins .

"ThWack'Em" is a game that calls for four Marker ThWacks!™ and four of the Blob ThWacks!™ 20 shown in Fig. 23 and is played on the magnetically attractive game board shown at 116 in Fig. 19. The object of this game is to be the last player with at least one game piece lef on the board 116. Two to four players may play this game. Before starting play, each player chooses a color, selects

a Marker ThWack!™ of that color, and places the marker ThWack!™ on a home base 130.

Each Blob ThWack!™ 20 has a center hole 54 that indicates which score zone 120-128 the Blob

ThWack!™ 20 has hit. If a player tosses a Blob

ThWack!™ 20 in such a way that the Blob ThWack!™ 20 center hole 54 overlies a line separating two different score zones 120-128, that player may choose either one of those score zones.

Players determine who goes first by tossing one of their Blob ThWacks!™ 20 at a center planet 122 in the target zone 118. The player whose Blob ThWack!™ 20 lands closest to the center planet 122 goes first. Succeeding players take their turns in the clockwise order in which they are sitting around the board.

A player advances his or her piece along the chase course circuit 132 from that player's home base 130 a number of squares 136 equal to the number of points that player has earned by striking various images located in the target zone 118. As described above, the target zone 118 includes the images of six planets 120, 122, a black void 124, and an outer nebula 126 which serve as individual score zones . A player scores three points for hitting a planet 120, 122, two points for hitting the black void 124, and one point for hitting the yellow nebula 126. A player gets no points for missing the target zone 118 entirely.

Each player moves his or her marker ThWack!™ the number of squares 136 that the player

has scored by tossing his or her Blob ThWacks!™ 20 at the target zone 118. Each player causes his or her marker ThWack!™ to follow the arrows 138 out of that player's home base 130 and around the chase course 132 in an attempt to move the player's marker ThWack!™ back to his or her home base.

Each player has a- stop "button" 140 that includes the same color as the color that the player selected before beginning the game. If a player's marker ThWack!™ lands on the square 136 that includes that player's stop button 140, that player must either score three points or must lose one turn.

If one player's marker ThWack!™ lands on another player's marker ThWack!™, the first player (whose piece landed on the other's piece) may "send" the other player's marker ThWack!™ back a number of squares 136 equal to double the score earned on one toss, and then may take one additional turn. Alternatively, the first player may take two turns in a row.

After a player has moved his or her marker

ThWack!™ around the chase course 132 and back to his or her home base, that player is eligible to become "poison." For a player to become poison, the player must hit the center planet 122 with any part of their Blob ThWack!™ 20. Once a player becomes poison, the player may move his or her marker ThWack!™ to a poison zone having that player's color. The poison player now may use his or her Blob ThWack!™ 20 to tag other players. When

a poison player tags another player, the tagged player is eliminated unless the tagged player can land his or her Blob ThWack!™ 20 so that the red blob 128 on the center planet is showing through the center vent hole.

"ThWack! FridgeTOSS™" is a magnetic tossing game where players use four micro (smaller) SplaT

ThWacks!™ 20, one 1/2 inch Jack ThWack!™ 14 and a magnetically-attractive target surface. The object of the game is to be the first player to score 15 points while winning by at least two points.

The Jack ThWack!™ is first tossed onto the magnetically-attractive target surface. The player who lands a SplaT ThWack!™ 20 closest to the Jack

ThWack!™ 14 takes his or her turn first. The first player then tosses out the Jack ThWack!™ 14 and the rest of the players sequentially toss out their SplaT ThWacks!™ 20 in an attempt to land on or as close as possible to the jack 14. Each round starts with the next player in the sequence tossing out the jack 14.

At the end of each round, the player whose

SplaT ThWack!™ 20 landed closest to the Jack

ThWack!™ 14 scores one point. A Splat ThWack!™ 20 touching or overlaying the jack 14 scores two points. A SplaT ThWack!™ 20 overlaying the jack 14 so that the jack 14 shows in the center hole 54 of the SplaT ThWack!™ scores 3 points.

An alternative form of the game ThWack! Fridge TOSS ™ is played using game pieces 22a-h

with aerodynamic appendages 56, 58 or "wings" as shown in Figs. 7-14. Players determine how many rounds will be played and flip a ThWarble™ to determine who will be the first player to toss a game piece. An opposing player then tries to hit a wing 56, 58 extending from the first player's piece 22a-h. The players then alternate tosses until one player hits the wing 56, 58 of another player's piece 22a-h ending the round. The first player to win a pre-determined number of rounds is the winner.

"Ultra ThWack!™ Hoops" is played using the game board shown at 142 in Fig. 20. The object of the game is to score the most points in a designated period of time or to reach a predetermined point total. Play begins with a jump ball. A Ball ThWack!™ (a ThWack!™ 20 impressed with the image of a basketball) is placed over the ThWackhead™ design 144 on the center of the board 142. Each player simultaneously tosses one of their team member ThWacks!™ (ThWacks!™ 20 impressed with team members' images) at the Ball ThWack!™. The player whose team member ThWack!™ lands closest to the Ball ThWack!™ has won the jump and is said to be "in possession."

The player who is in possession then attempts to land an offensive team member ThWack!™ on one of several score zones 156. A player must land a team member ThWack!™ in a score zone 156 before that player may attempt to score by landing the Ball ThWack!™ on a hoop image 146 on the board 142. A shot taken from the score zone 156 outside the ring 162 is worth three points. A shot taken

from inside the ring 162 is worth two points.

If a player tags (lands a team member

ThWack!™ in) a score zone 156, the opposing player tries to block that player's subsequent scoring attempt by tagging the zone 156 between the basket

146 and the first player's team member ThWack!™ game piece. The closer that one player can land a team member ThWack!™ to the hoop 146 (without touching) , the harder it is for an opposing player to block the shot .

If one player fails to land a team member ThWack!™ on a score zone 156, the opposing player may try to progressively "close out" the score zones 156 by landing his own team member ThWacks!™ on those zones 156. Once a "defensive" team member ThWack!™ lands on a score zone 156, an "offensive" team member ThWack!™ cannot score from within that zone 156.

An offensive player has five tries to land one of his or her team member ThWacks!™ on a zone 156 and then score. The defensive player uses his or her five team member ThWacks!™ to try to close out the zones 156 or to "rebound", or take the ball ThWack!™ away from the offensive player, after each shot attempt .

As explained above, a player scores by tagging a score zone 156 with a team member

ThWack!™ and then landing a ball ThWack!™ on the basket 146. If the shooting player tags any part of the basket 146 it counts as a score. However, a

defensive player can block the shot by tagging the center blob 152. If a player tosses and causes a ball ThWack!™ to cover the dot in the center of the blob 152, it is counted as a "swish" and can't be blocked.

After a score, the player who was playing defense may "inbound" by "going for a fast break", i.e., immediately attempting to land a team member ThWack!™ on a score zone 156. However, in response to a "fast break", the opposing player may attempt to steal the ball by landing between the inbound line 158 and the offensive player's team member

ThWack!™ (see Fig. 20) . As an alternative, the offensive player may elect to "pass half court" and avoid a steal by landing a team member ThWack!™ in the defensive half of the basketball court and then landing a second team member ThWack!™ in a score zone 156. If an offensive player "inbounds" by passing half court in this manner, the opposing player cannot play until after the offensive player has tossed the second team member ThWack!™.

The top of the three point line 162 is designated as an "uncontested three zone 168." If an offensive player lands a team member ThWack!™ in one of these zones 168, the opposing player may not attempt to block the offensive player's a shot at the hoop.

If a player tries to score and misses the basket 146 entirely the ball is considered to be "up for rebound." In this event, the defensive player tries to touch the ball ThWack!™ with a rebound ThWack!™. If the rebound ThWack!™ touches

the ball ThWack!™, the defensive player gains possession of the ball. If the defensive player fails to tag the ball, the offense has a chance to rebound. If neither player tags on his or her first attempt at a rebound, then the player whose rebound ThWack!™ landed closest to the ball

ThWack!™ gains possession. If the offensive player tags both the ball ThWack!™ and the rim 146 of the basket--it's a "put-back" and a score for the offense.

If the offense fails to cause the ball

ThWack!™ to stick to the game board 142 it's a loose ball. The ball ThWack!™ is then placed on the offensive player's Ultra ThWack!™ Logo.

Similar to the rebound rule, the loose ball rule states that the defender will be the first to attempt to gain possession of the loose ball by tagging the ball ThWack!™ with a team member ThWack!™. If neither player succeeds in tagging the ball ThWack!™, the player whose team member

ThWack!™ lands closest to the ball ThWack!™ gains possession.

If an offensive player fails to tag a score zone 156 with any of his or her five team member

ThWacks!™ he or she must turn over possession to the opposing player. Possession also goes to the opposing player if the offensive player tosses the ball ThWack!™ out of bounds.

If a defensive player tags the rim of the basket 146 while trying to block a score zone 156, it is a "three-second lane violation" requiring

that the defensive player's team member ThWack!™ be put on the center court line 160 and the offensive player be allowed an open shot.

A defensive foul occurs when a defensive player's team member ThWack!™ touches an offensive player's team member ThWack!™. A defensive foul does not entitle an offensive player to a foul shot if the offensive player's team member ThWack!™ is not on a score zone 156 when the defensive player's team member ThWack!™ touches it. Conversely, an offensive player is entitled to a foul shot if one of his or her team member ThWacks!™ is on a score zone when the defensive player's team member ThWack!™ touches it. If a player's team "commits" five fouls or more, all fouls are shooting fouls. A foul committed on a "three zone" 166 is a three- point free throw.

An offensive charging foul is assessed against an offensive player who lands a team member

ThWack!™ in the key and goal 150 portions of the defensive zone. A goal tending foul is assessed against an offensive player whose team member ThWack!™ hits the rim 146 of the basket. Both charging and goal tending are considered to be team fouls and result in turning possession of the ball over to the defensive player.

In the game "MAKE'N TAKE ThWack!™" players contribute equal numbers of ThWacks!™ 20 to a stack. Each player keeps one ThWack!™ 20 to use as a tossing piece. One ThWack!™ 20 from the stack is placed on a magnetically-attractive surface

(fridges, lockers, etc.) . Using their respective tossing pieces 20, players attempt to land closest to or on the target ThWack!™ 20. The player closest to the target ThWack!™ 20 takes possession of it . When the stack is gone, the player possessing the most ThWacks!™ 20 wins.

The game "Chase the Bunny"™ is a game for two to four players using the ThWack!™ game pieces shown at 12 in Fig. 3. To determine which player will start the game, a Bunny ThWack!™, i.e., a

ThWack!™ 12 including a bunny image, is first tossed onto the fridge. Each player then attempts to land a dog ThWack!™, i.e., a ThWack!™ 12 including a dog image, closest to or on the bunny.

The closest player begins the game.

A game round begins when a player tosses the bunny ThWack!™ 12 onto the fridge. The same player then tosses his dog ThWack!™ 12. The players then alternate tosses until they have tossed all their dog ThWacks! 12. If the player tossing the bunny fails to stick it (cause it to adhere to a target fridge surface) , one point is taken away from that player's score and he or she must toss the bunny again.

At the end of each round, the player landing his dog closest to the bunny, scores one point. If the closest player also tags the bunny, that player scores a bonus point for a total of two points. If a player has tagged the bunny, that player's points can be snatched away by another player if the other player's dog tags the first player's dog.

Players take turns starting rounds. Play continues until one player reaches a score of ten and wins by at least two points. If three or more players are tossing dogs when a player reaches ten, only those players with nine or more points continue to play. Chase the Bunny™ can also be played on flat or angled surfaces of any size such as are found on metal cookie boxes, fruit cake tins, pots and pans, etc.

The game "21 FridgeTOSS"™ is based on the one-on-one basketball game known as "21." Players score points by twos and threes and get one point for free throws. A player wins by accumulating exactly 21 points. If a player exceeds 21 points, his or her point total is reduced back to 13 points. To start the game, the players decide how far from a target surface, such as a fridge, a metal garage door, etc., they will stand to toss their game pieces. A player then tosses a basket

ThWack!™ (a ThWack!™ 12 bearing the image of a basket) onto the target surface. Each player then tosses one ball ThWack!™ onto the target surface.

The player whose ball ThWack!™ sticks closest to the basket gets "possession" and starts the game.

The player who has won possession then tosses the basket ThWack!™ onto the target surface.

The same player then tosses a ball ThWack!™ onto the target surface, attempting to land the ball

ThWack!™ on the basket ThWack!™. If the player fails to stick the basket ThWack!™ he must turn possession over to the opposing player. A player scores 2 points for landing a ball ThWack!™ within

one ThWack!™ width of the basket ThWack!™. A player scores three points if the ball ThWack!™ lands touching the basket ThWack!™. If a ball

ThWack!™ lands more than one piece width from the basket, the ball is "put up for a rebound" - as is explained in more detail below.

As in the game 21, when a player scores, that player goes to the free throw line for 3 one- on-one free throws. A player cannot shoot the second of the 3 one-on-one free throws unless he or she makes the first free throw in the series. To attempt the third of the 3 one-on-one free throws a player must have succeeded in scoring on the first and second free throws in the series. The free throwing player earns one point for each free throw that lands within one ThWack!™ width of the basket.

When going to the free throw line, the player borrows one defense ball ThWack!™ and throws up the three shots consecutively without removing ball ThWacks!™ that have scored. If a player makes all three free throws that player keeps possession and starts a new scoring drive. A missed free throw results in a turnover.

A player who is playing defense (not in possession) can block shots, and even score rebounds. After an offensive player has made a successful two-point shot the defensive player gets one attempt to retroactively block the shot by tagging the offensive player's ball ThWack!™. A successful block results in a turnover. However, blocks are not permitted on three-count shots. If an offensive player misses a shot the defensive player immediately gets two shots to rebound the

loose ball. If the defensive player tags the ball ThWack!™, touching the missed shot with a

ThWack!™, that player gains possession. If the defensive player fails to tag the ball, the offensive player gets one shot at the rebound with a chance to "put it back", or score. If the ball is not tagged, whoever is closest to the loose ball rebounds and takes possession starting a new scoring drive .

The game "ICEBREAKER Challenge"™ is played using the game board shown at 196 in Fig. 22. The object of the game is to get people at a party to interact with one another. This is an interactive board game that encourages players to reveal things about themselves and their personalities to the other players.

In addition to the game board 196, or "ICEBREAKER arena"™, this game uses one deck of 500

"Break The Ice"™ cards, two pair of dice, and two sets of thirty-six numbered chips. Before beginning play, the host of the gathering hands out one numbered chip to each of the guests and places the corresponding same numbered chips from the second set into a container upside down. The

ICEBREAKER™ arena is placed on a table or floor with three or more participant players gathered around. To select the first two players, someone must choose two of the upside down numbered chips.

Whoever' s number is selected is given a pair of dice and must enter, i.e., throw the dice into, the arena 196.

Each of the two players, seated at the arena

196, selects one "Break The Ice"™ card, from the front of the deck, and reads it aloud to everyone gathered around the arena. Each player then throws his or her dice into the arena 196. The player with the highest point score may either answer their own card or, choose for their opponent to answer their own card.

Before answering a question, each player must read it aloud again. The answering player may answer as simply or elaborately as they choose. Once the question has been answered, both cards are placed at the back of the deck and another opponent is chosen. The questions are designed to cause players to reveal how they would react in a variety of morally challenging and otherwise difficult situations.

The person who has read and answered a question is responsible for selecting a replacement by randomly choosing another upside down numbered chip and calling for the person holding the matching chip to enter the arena 196. Again, both opponents choose new cards from the front of the deck and the game continues.

There are no winners or losers. This game merely provides its players with an opportunity to open up, have fun and get to know each other.

In addition to the games described above, a wide variety of other games may be played using various combinations of the game pieces and game boards described above . According to the invention, players will be encouraged to develop new games using entirely new rules or new rules in combination with one or more of the sets of rules

set forth in United States patent application serial number 60/389,288, filed February 16, 1995 and incorporated herein by reference.

The inventor intends this to be an illustrative description of his invention employing descriptive rather than limiting words. There are many ways that one could modify or deviate from the described embodiments while remaining within the scope of the invention. In other words, many modifications and variations of this invention are possible in light of the above teachings and one may practice the invention other than as described.